There is new diet that made it to a popular medical TV show, it’s trending on Twitter and everyone is raving about it. You buy the ‘How-To’ videos, the books, the waist measuring tape and the works. You can’t wait to start with this new diet. You tell your entire family that you found the ‘secret’ of weight loss and the diet to end all diets. The game begins with your determination and you start with the new diet after two weeks of doing ‘everything’ the diet recommends you lose your steam and quit.
This story happens plenty of times to people worldwide, different place, different face but we see the same pattern over and over again.
We see it replying every year in January when millions of people join the gym ready to crush their new year’s resolutions, a large majority of them drop out before Valentine’s day.
Seth Godin captured this idea aptly and wrote about it in his book ‘The Dip’.
He defines ‘The Dip’ as “the long slog between starting and mastery”. When you are starting something new whether a relationship, business or a healthy living journey you will face ‘The Dip’.
Every successful person goes through a dip before their reach the mastery level. People who fail are the ones that quit whenever there is a dip or their experience resistance in their new routine.
‘The Dip’ is the main reason weight loss programs globally don’t work. In fact, the problem is NOT the diet, the issue is that many people don’t push through when they get into the funk and experience ‘The Dip’.
In this article, I want to share a few ideas that have worked for me and ensured that my weight loss journey is a long-term one.
1. Keep your WHY close. Many people reading this article have made health resolutions and have embarked on a weight loss journey. In order to prepare you, there will come a time where it will be difficult to wake up at 5 am for your workout session.
You will be assigned to work in a different city and will be tempted to eat ‘junk food’. There is coming a time in the journey where you will have a STRONG urge to quit and fall back on old habits.
Keeping your WHY (the reason you started the journey) close will help you push through the dip or when things go bad. Take some time out and find your WHY that resonates with you. The WHY is a burning desire to make the journey work no matter the costs. The health journey is a long-term process and you need a strong WHY to stay committed and consistent.
Answers the following questions to get you started:
Why is losing weight important to me?
Why do I want to lose an extra 15 kilograms?
Why is living health important to me?
This is what Darren Hardy had to say about finding your why, “The person who has a clear, compelling and white-hot burning WHY will always defeat the best of the best at doing the HOW”.
Once you establish your WHY you will be able to figure out any ‘how’ to healthy living. Many people who have excuses are the ones who haven’t found their strong ‘WHY’.
2. Find a sports competition. Research and find a sport you like and start taking part in it. The sports competition and monthly events will keep you active and fit. There is something about taking part in sports competitions.
While preparing for the big game day you do everything necessary to get into shape and eat clean. Sports competitions will help you develop a sense of urgency about your health goals and keep you consistent for a long-term.
I made a commitment and put it out on social media that in 2019 I am running the Soweto Marathon and I will be doing the Comrades in 2020. When it’s cold and I don’t feel like waking up to do my 5-kilometer run, I remember that I am preparing for these competitions and it makes it easier to wake up.
3. Get Accountable. The weight loss journey is a PRIVATE and PERSONAL decision however for it to work optimally it needs a community. This is the reason why many people with a personal trainer go to the gym, those who belong to running clubs run more and those who are part of a health club stay committed to the cause.
Once you belong to these tribes or communities you will be encouraged, hear stories of how others made it and will be held accountable. Word of caution here; poor self-discipline will not survive any accountability system, this is the reason your ‘WHY’ is the foundation for progress. For accountability to work there needs to be a personal decision in place.
Accountability will not replace your personal choice and responsibility. People have different motivations and levels of discipline joining a club or an accountability group may help you help build consistency and longevity.
I have joined a running club so that I can belong to a tribe that will help me prepare for marathons. The team will help me to commit for the long-term and push me through the dip.
I believe that the weight loss formula is:
20% – knowhow, the right information and strategies.
30% – building character, great mindset and self-belief.
50% – Practice, application and putting into action the information and belief. Building the right habits.
We have created a 90 Days weight loss program that addresses the above formula and helps people make healthy living a long-term commitment.
We share about the nutrition (meal plans), exercise plans and we are also building a community to hold each other accountable. If you are interested in starting the #90DaysWithoutSugar2019 sign up here.